Sole machine



Oct. 25, 1938. w. N; BRAY 2,134,100

SOLE MACHINE Filed June 22, 1937 Patented Oct. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES 2,134,100 SOLE MACHINE William Neil Bray, Leicester, England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 22, 1937, Serial No. 149,710

In Great Britain July '7, 1936 19 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operating upon soles and is herein illustrated as embodied in machines of the type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,939,750, granted December 19, 1933, and No. 2,020,344, granted November 12, 1935, upon applications of'E. E. Winkley.

Machines of this type are adapted for shaping not only outsoles but also insoles so that they conform to the shape of the last'bottom which is ordinarily curved both longitudinally and transversely. Soles of either type are thus shaped by being pressed against a form, the shape of which commonly is somewhat exaggerated as compared with the intended shape of the sole, by pressing or conforming members shaped generally complementary to the respective portions of the form with which they cooperate. In thus operating upon insoles of the type having a rib projecting from one side, as in the case of an innersole for a welt shoe in which the upper and welt is stitched to the rib, the relatively heavy pressure employed in shaping the sole may tend to distort the rib by crushing it against the sole. The present invention in one aspect is concerned with minimizing or eliminating distortion of the rib referred to above which, although it causes no permanent harm to the rib, may necessitate straightening of the rib prior to the stitching operation.

Accordingly, one feature of the present invention resides in the provision of 'a pressing member arranged to cooperate with a form of the type referred to above, and yieldingly to engage only the margina1 portion of the sole which commonly includes the rib so that shaping'pressure of the pressing member is relieved locally at the area in question to whatever extent is necessary to avoid distorting the rib. As herein illustrated, this pressing member is provided with a sole-engaging member of yielding material adapted to receive the rib, and is used in connection with a rigid pressing member adapted to engage the central portion of the sole included by its marginal area referred to above. Insurance against the application of excessive pressure to the marginal portion of the sole is alsoafforded by mounting the pressing member which operates on the marginal portion of the sole to yield with respect to the other member. Although, in the operation, the yielding pressing member is deformed to receive the rib in response to pressure of the top of the rib, it is apparent that this member may be recessed to receive therib and that in 55 either case the rib is received in t y g mtion of the illustrated embodiment of the invenber to'such anextent thatthe latter also engages portions of the sole at each side of the rib contiguous to it, whereby the entire marginal portion of the sole including the rib is pressed against the form. Thus, without lessening the pressure 5 required for properlyshaping the sole in its central portion where its curvature is most pronounced, adequate shaping pressure is applied to the marginal portion of the insole, where rela tively less shaping is required, and any possibility of the rib being deformed is avoided.

'Although one aspect of the invention has been pointed out above with reference to operating upon insoles, in another aspect the invention relates tosoles generally and also has for another object the prevention of the formation in soles, especially in their marginal portions, of hard spots which in the case of outsoles have atendency to impede subsequent operations, such as channeling for example. r

This object isattained in the illustrated machine not only by applying pressure yieldingly to the marginal portion of the forepart as stated above, but also by the provisionof'novel clamping members, constituting anotherfeature of the invention, the'sole-engaging surfaces of which are curved to different extents whereby the'clamping pressure imparted to the sole progressively diminishes from the central portion of the clamped areas toward the margins. Thus, the marginal portions of the sole are relieved of such pressure as might unduly compress them. 5

In the drawing, 1

' Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of workclamping and conforming means of a sole-conforming machine embodying-the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken'along the line IIII of Fig. 1, this figure also showing, in section, an insole being operated upon I 40 Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1; a

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of-the sole-forms (with associated gage members) illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a sole-conforming member'associated with the forepart-clamping means illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. r

The machines described in the above-mentioned patents comprise forepart-clamping members, heel-part clamping members and forms, between which forms and clamping members the forepart and heel part of a sole to be operated upon are clamped and shaped while the shank part of .the sole is shaped by being pressedagainst 5 the form by a conforming tool of resilient material, mechanism being provided for causing, if desired, displacement to take place at right angles to the plane of the sole between the forepartclamping members and the heel-part clamping members to impart to the sole the angular relation that normally exists between the forepart and the heel part of a last bottom. A machine of the same general nature but'modified in certain respects as will be described below can be used to shape welt insoles with upstanding ribs not only to impart the desired molded character. to the shank portion of an insole but also to impart, at the forepart and at the heel part of the insole, a curvature in conformity with that normally occurring at the forepart and the of a last bottom. l a

A machine of the general character of those described in the above-mentioned patents and modified, in accordance with the present invention, for use in shaping welted insolescomprisesa form lll (corresponding to that referred to as 26in Patent No. 2,020,344) and a conforming tool l2 having a work-engaging portion l4 made of rubber or like resilient material which are suitably formed to impart the desiredshape to the shank of the insole. The strip of rubber or like resilient material referred to as [8 in Patent No. 2,020,344 is not employed in the illustrated machine and the conforming tool I2 directlyengages the work, but I have found that the tool, if its workengaging portion is made of resilientmaterial, does not damage the rib-of the insole, As described in the above-mentioned patents, the machine comprises two similar sets of operating instrumentalities, I

but only one'set will be described in detail herein and only one set is shown in the accompanying 7 drawing.- However, it is to be understood that the machinehasa second set of similar parts, the arrangement being such that when one set is operating on one insole such as for a left shoe the operator may be loading an insole for a right shoe in the other set. g g V For forming andclamping the heel part of the insole there are employed a form I 6 and a clamping member I8, these members being so curved that in clamping the heel part of the insole where there is commonly no rib they serve to impart a curved shape to the heel part of the insole in conformity with the shape of the heel part of the last bottom which is usually :somewhat convex rather than truly flat. Conveniently the-degree of concavity of the clamping member I8 is somewhat less than the degree ofconvexity of the form It so that when the heel part of a sole is clamped between these parts, though itis curved over the lower member to a degree sufiicient-to impart the desired shape, yet it is not subjected over its entire area toheavy direct pressure of such a character .as might unduly compress or harden the texture of the leather or other sole material, but receives a pressure which gradually diminishes from the central 2 portion towardthe margins; It will usually be found convenient ,to overshape the heel part of the insole to allow for possible'subsequent springback;

At "the forepart especiallyof the'insole it is desirable that a satisfactorycurved shape be imparted and that tlgiis're'sult should be obtained without the upstanding rib on the insolebeing damaged and without the'material of the insole being compressed sufliciently'to render the insole hard or inflexible. With this end in view, the illustrated machine is provided with forepart clamping'and shaping members which are conheel part smoothly intothe work-engaging surface of the structed and arranged as follows. The forepart portion of the form I is cut away to provide a flat table 20 upon which is supported a resilient forepart-engaging member 22 comprising a substantially rectangular block of rubber or other yielding material having on its upper surface a raised tongue-shaped portion 24 which, in plan view, is shaped generally similar to the shape of the forepart of the insole to be operated upon but which is both narrower and shorter than the insole forepart. The upper surface of the tongue-shaped portion 24 has a convex curvature similar to, but exaggerated as compared with, the curvature of a last bottom at the forepart and is intended to engage the central portion of the surface of the insole forepart and to merge shank portion of the form I0. The rubber member H is so mounted upon its supporting table 28 as 'to-be readily removable to enable members with tongue-shaped portions 24 of varying shapes to be employed in accordance with the work to be operated upon.

Cooperating with the member 22 to form and clamp the forepart of an insole there is provided a pressing member 26 (Fig. 2) which has a workengaging surface of somewhat less concavity than the convexity of the tongue-shaped portion 24 and which is intended to engage the central portion of the insole forepart inside of the area defined by the rib R of the insole to clamp the central portion of the insole forepart against the tongue-shaped portion 24 of the member 22. The marginalportion of the insole, including the upstanding rib R, is pressed against the member 22by a U-shaped member 28 of yieldingmaterial, for example sponge rubber, which extends 'around the pressing member 26, one leg, that which operates in the outer side of the sole, being slightly longer than the other. As best illustratedin Fig. 5, the member 28 has a projection 30 comprising a thin strip of metal which is bonded to the lower surface of the longer leg 'of the .U-shaped member 28 and extends heelwardly sufiiciently far for it to be engaged by the lower surface of the conforming tool I2 as the latter descends to shape a sole about the pattern Ill. The projection 30 serves to insure that the outer portion of the margin of the sole at the junction between the forepart and shank portions will be effectively shaped to that portion of the form H) which merges into the forepart-engaging member 22 as the conforming tool I2 descendsj The U-shaped member 28 is fixedly secured at its upper surface to the lower surface of a similarly shaped carrying plate 32 and the member and plate-are supported as a unit in a carrier 34, the plate 32 fitting against a V-shaped bearing surface 36 in the carrier and being normally held in fixed position in relation thereto by means of a spring latch 38 adapted to enter a hole 39 in the plate 32. Thus, a number of units the rubber U-shaped members 28 of which have different shapes or sizes may be provided and a unit may be chosen of size and shape appropriate to the class of work being operated upon, a unit being readily removable from the machine on release of the spring latch 38 for substitution by another. The carrier 34 is mounted at the lower ends of three vertical rods 40 which are slidably mounted in bores formed in a horizontal plate 42 secured to the upper surface of the forepart clamp head 44 (referred to as 42 in Patent No. 2,020,344), the two rearmost rods 40 also passing near their lower ends through bores formed in a horizontal web (not shown) composing part of the head 44. The upper end portions of the rods 40 project upwardly above the plate 42 and fixedly secured to their upperends is another horizontal plate 46 through which freely passes a vertical rod 48 which has threaded thereon above the plate 46 a hand wheel 58. The lower portion of the rod 48 is fixed in the forepart clamp head .44 and has a shoulder indicated at 54 in Fig. l which serves as a stop for limiting the downward movement of the plate 48 and consequently determines the normal heightwise position of the U-shaped member 28. Normally the arrangement is such that the level of the work-engaging surface of the U-shaped member 28 is somewhat below that of the pressing member 26 which engages the central part of theupper surface of the forepart of the-insole. Surrounding the rod 48 and abutting at its upper end against the hand wheel 50 and. at its lower end against the plate 46, is a compressionspring 5,2. The spring urges the plate 46, and consequently the U-shaped member 28 which is carried on the rods 40 to which the plate 46 is fixed, downwardly. The U-shaped member is thus capable of yielding upwardly during the operation of the machine against the action of the spring 52, thereby preventing excessive pressure from being applied to the rib.

In order to facilitate the positioning of the work in the machine, the parts which engage the lower surface of the insole, viz, the forms Ill and I6, are swung forwardly toward the operator prior to loading toenable the operator readily to position an insole thereon prior to its being operated upon, as described in the above-mentioned patents. To assist the proper positioning of the insole, the machine is provided with gaging elements 55, 58 and 60, respectively like those referred to as 54:, 48 and 50in Patent No. 2,020,344, for positioning the insole laterally. For positioning the insole longitudinally, a toe gage 6B is provided which is somewhat similar to the finger referred to as 46 in said patent, the present toe gage 68 differing, however, fromthe finger just referred to in that it is shorter than the latter, the operator merely sighting along one face of the finger as he positions the insole in the machine. I

Inthe operation of the machine upon an in sole having a rib R upstanding therefrom, the operator positions the insole, with the surface from which the rib extends placed upwardly, upon the forms l0 and I6 after the latter have been swung into their sole-receiving position. When the operator depresses a treadle the forms upon which the insole has been placed are swun upwardly into operative position .and then the head 44 and clamping member iii are lowered to clamp the insole firmly at both the forepart and heel part. At the heel part of. the insole the cooperating convex and concave form l and pressing member I8 serve, in clamping the insole, to impart the desired shape to the heel part. At the forepart the upstanding rib R and adjacent marginal portion of the insole are engaged by the U-shaped member 28 in the manner indicated in Fig. 2, and the marginal portion of the insole is pressed downwardly, with respect to its central portion, around the side of the tongueshaped portion 24 which engages the central part of the opposite side of the insole'while the central part of the insole is clamped firmly between the tongue-shaped portion 24 and the pressing member 26. Thus, the desired shapeis imparted to the forepart of theinsole; Preferably the U shaped" member 28 will depress the marginal portion of the forepart of the insole to give the insole while under pressure a curvedshape exaggerated as compared with the curvature of the bottom of the last upon which the insole has to be laid, to allow for a .springback likely to occur when the pressure is released. The U-shaped member depresses the marginal portion of the insole without damaging the upstanding rib R on the insole since, although it presses upon the rib, yet, being made of soft rubber, it is deformed under pressure of the rib to receive the latter and is also capable of yielding bodily upwardly against the action of the spring 52. Similarly, when the illustrated machine is used for operating upon either outsoles' or insoles the fore and heel part portions will be properly curved both lengthwise and widthwise to fit the last bottom; and owing to the difference in the curvature of the upper and lower clamping members at both ends of the sole as well as the provision for yieldingly clamping the marginal portion of the forepart of the sole, the marginal portions of the sole will receive adequate pressure to shape them but this pressure is moderated to such .an extent that the formation of any hard spots is avoided. After the heel part and forepart of the insole have been clamped as just described, the conforming tool I2 will, as described in the above:

mentioned patents, force the shank of the insole against the form and substantially simultaneously' therewith the heel clamping mechanism is dropped relativelyto the forepart clamping mech anism (assuming it is desired to produce an insole in which the shank is disposed obliquely to the forepart). The conforming tool M, in pressing the projection 30 against the insole, insures a continuous application of pressure across the junction of the forepart and shank portions of the sole. After the conforming tool I4 is retracted from the Work, the head 44 and member. it! are raised and the forms I0 and I6 are swung outwardly once again to their sole-receiving position, in which position the operator removes the insole that has been operated upon and places a new insole in location to be operated upon.

Preferably before an insole is operated upon in the machine it may be subjected to a mild steaming operation to make the leather more easily workable and more retentive of shape imparted to it.

Having described the invention, what I claim'as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a sole-shaping machine, a form, and means mounted for movement toward and away from said form for pressing a sole against said form, said means comprising a member shaped and arranged to engage a central portion of the sole, and a second member mounted to yield with respect to the first-mentioned member and arranged to operate on the marginal, portion of the sole contiguous to said central portion.

2. In a sole-shaping machine, a form, and means movable toward and away from said form for pressing a sole having a marginal rib against said form, said means comprising a U-shaped pressing member arranged to engage the top of the rib and a marginal portion of said sole contiguous to the rib.

3. In a sole-shaping machine, a form, and means for pressing a sole having a marginal rib against said form, said means comprising a pressing member of yielding material shaped andv arranged to engage theimarginal portion of the sole including the rib, and adapted to be deformed to receive said rib in response to pressure of the sole against said member.

4. In a sole-shaping machine, a form, and means for pressing a sole having a marginal rib in-conformity to the shape of said form, said means including a yielding pressing member shaped and arranged to engage the rib and adapted to be deformed to receive said rib in response to pressure of the sole against said member.

5. In a machine for operating upon a sole having a rib extending from one surface thereof, a form, and pressing means movable toward said form to press the sole thereagainst, said means comprising a yieldingly mounted member constructed and arranged successively to engage the top of the rib and to press the portions of the sole contiguous to the rib at each side thereof against said'form.

6. In a machine for operating upon a sole having a rib extending from a surface thereof, a form, and means movable toward said form to press a sole thereagainst, said means comprising pressing members one of which is shaped and arranged to engage a central portion of the sole and the other of said members being shaped and arranged to engage the rib of the sole and portions of the sole at each side of the rib contiguous thereto.

7. In a sole-shaping machine, a form having a yielding forepart section and a rigidshank portion the sole-engaging surfaces'of which merge at the vicinity of the ball line of. a sole to be shaped on said form, and pressing means movable toward said form comprising a pressing member shaped and arranged to engage a marginal portion of the sole including the rib, and a second pressing member shaped and arranged to engage thecentral portion of the sole.

8. In a sole-shaping machine, a form adapted to support and shape the forepart of a sole, and

pressing means movable toward and away from said form, said means comprising a pressing member shaped and arranged to engage the central portion of the sole, said means also comprising a second pressing member adapted to engage the marginal portion of the sole including the rib, said second member being mounted for yielding movement with respect to said first-mentioned member.

9. In a machine for operating upon a sole having a rib extending from a surface thereof, a form, pressing means comprising ahead having slidably mounted thereon a pressing member shaped and arranged to engage the portion of the sole including the rib, and yielding means arranged'to urge said member toward said form.

10. In a machine for operating upon a sole having a rib extending from a surface thereof, a form, pressing means comprising a head having a pressing member arranged to engage the central portion of the sole and a second pressing member mounted to yield with respect to the first-mentioned member and arranged to engage the marginal portion of the sole including the rib.

11. In a machine for operating upon a sole having a rib extending from a surface thereof, a form, means for pressing a sole against the form comprising a head movable toward said form and having slidably mounted thereon a pressing member shaped and arranged to engage the portion of thesole including the rib, means for yieldingly urging said member toward said form, and means for adjusting said yielding means.

12. In a machine for operating upon a sole having a rib extending from a surface thereof, 'a. form, means for pressing a sole against said form comprising a head movable toward and away from said form and having mounted thereon a pressing member arranged to engage a marginal portion of the'sole, including the rib, said head including a second pressing member movably mounted thereon and arranged to engage the central portion of the sole, and yielding means connecting said head and first-mentioned pressing member thereby to permit movement of the latter with respect to said second member.

13. In a sole-shaping machine, a form, and pressing members shaped and arranged to engage contiguous portions of a sole upon said form, said form and pressing members being mounted for movement relatively toward and away from each other, one .of said pressing members having an extension underlying the other member and the latter having a yielding sole-engaging surface adapted to receive said extension whereby pressure is imparted to the sole continuously between said members.

14. In a sole-shaping machine, a form, and pressing members shaped and arranged to engage contiguous portions of a sole on said form, said form and members being mounted for relative movement toward and away from each other, one of said members having a resilient projection overlapping the sole-engaging surface of the other member whereby the latter is caused to press said projection against the sole.

15. In a sole-shaping machine, a form adapted to support and shape the forepart and shank portions of a sole, and forepart and shank pressing members mounted for movement, in succession toward the forepart and shank portions respectively of said form, said forepart pressing member having an extension overlying the junction between the forepart and shank portions of said form and adapted to be moved into engagement with the sole by said shank-pressing member.

16. In a sole-shaping machine, a form, and forepart and shank pressing'members mounted for movement toward and away from said form, one of said members having relatively movable sections one of which sections extends under the other member whereby the last-mentioned section is moved into engagement with the sole by said other member.

1'7. In a sole-shaping machine, a form having a sole-engaging surface which is curved longitudinally and transversely thereof, and pressing means mounted for movement toward and away from said form, said means comprising a member having a sole-engaging surface of less curvature than that of the portion of the form with which it cooperates whereby the pressure between said member and form diminishes from the central portion of the clamped area of the sole toward its marginal area.

18. In a sole-shaping machine, a form having a sole-engaging surface which is curved longitudinally and transversely thereof, and pressing means comprising a member yieldingly mounted thereon and adapted to engage a marginal portion of the sole, said means also comprising a member arranged to engage the central portion of the sole andhaving a sole-engaging surface of less curvature than. that of the corresponding central portion of the form whereby the clamping pressure applied to the sole progressively diminishes from its central portion toward its margins.

19. In a sole-shaping machine, forms adapted to shape and support a sole pressed thereagainst, the sole-engaging surfaces of said forms being curved longitudinally and transversely thereof, forepart and heel part clamping members movable toward said forms to shape and clamp a sole thereagainst, the sole-engaging surfacesof said members being of less curvature thanthat of the forms, and means cooperating with one of said forms for shaping the shankportion of the sole.

WILLIAM NEIL BRAY. 

